Peeved by the unending fuel scarcity in Warri and environs allegedly caused by the hording of products by marketers, the Department of Petroleum Resources (DPR) yesterday raided some erring filling stations in the oil city.

Four stations were sealed by the DPR team led by Mr. Yusuf Sule, Manager Operations in Warri, particularly around Airport Road axis for offences ranging from hoarding and under dispensing of products.

The worst offenders were Godstime Petroleum Ltd, which was sealed for selling above the approved pump price; Melmic Ltd for hoarding and Kinmason for under dispensing of products. The station was cheating customers by as much as two litres for every 10 litres purchased.

The DPR team visited stations armed with a list of the stations that loaded fuel from NNPC depots at the weekend. Chit-Tim filling station on Airport Road was forced to start selling fuel after it was caught hoarding fuel it loaded few days ago. However, some of the stations that were forced to start selling fuel to the public stopped when the DPR team left prompting second visits and warning notices served to them.

Some of the marketers said they were not to blame for selling fuel at N190 a litre, saying the private depot they bought from sold to them at exorbitant price urging the DPR to monitor the activities of the private depots.

However the DPR Manager Operations, warned the marketers to stop buying expensive fuel from private depots if they can’t conform to the approved pump price.